This 1958 film from former East Germany is a strange mixture of propaganda and advertising: While the first half of the film praises the general progress the communist country achieved during 1958, the second half advertises the extensive choice of Christmas gifts available at state-owned Konsum stores.


This movie is part of the collection: Short Format Films

Producer: Handelsorganisation der DDR
Audio/Visual: sound, color
Language: German
Keywords: east german; east germany; propaganda; advertising; christmas; konsum; GDR; DDR

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Reviewer: PixelFrau - - June 20, 2012
Subject: silly comments
My husband grew up in East Germany. Yes, of course they had toys and electronics. Things may have been a decade or so behind the rest of the West but they weren't living in the Dark Ages. Just like the West they had various advertising campaigns and this particular advert was obviously geared towards housewives.

Reviewer: kt666 - - September 19, 2011
Subject: PD
Is this public domain stuff?

Reviewer: sonnen - - September 20, 2010
Subject: look closer
I'm not in any way supporting either communism or DDR, but people could in fact bay toys and electronic equipment. If you look a bit closer at this film you will find toys, electronic toy traines, cameras, radios etc

Reviewer: 2muchtv - - July 30, 2007
Subject: So much of so little
Wow, what a reality check. As the film promotes the consumer options at the state store, you start to notice something is missing. Grab a few USA Christmas 1958 items from Prelinger and you'll notice right away.

Where are the appliances, the radio, TV and HiFi audio gear? Toys and games? Bicycles, wagons, musical instruments?

Nope, it's clothing and dishes for Christmas, comrade...